260 people, including 17 children and 61 women, rescued from two boats after food and fuel ran out
NOUAKCHOTT, Mauritania — Mauritanian authorities have rescued 260 migrants, including 17 children and 61 women, from two boats off the country’s Atlantic coast after the vessels spent about seven days at sea.
The Mauritanian Coast Guard said the migrants were rescued on Sunday after being spotted off the coast of the capital, Nouakchott.
According to the coast guard, the two vessels had departed from Banjul, The Gambia, but the passengers ran out of food and experienced fuel and navigation problems during the journey.
Authorities said the rescued migrants included 132 Senegalese nationals, 120 Gambians, four Guineans and other West Africans.
The migrants were reportedly in a state of shock when they were found following the difficult journey.
The rescue comes amid continued attempts by thousands of migrants, many of them young people, to cross the Atlantic in overcrowded and often poorly equipped boats in an effort to reach Europe through Spain’s Canary Islands.
The route is considered extremely dangerous, with migrants facing the risk of hunger, dehydration, vessel breakdowns and drowning during the journey.
Many people attempting the crossing come from West Africa and are seeking better economic opportunities, while European countries have tightened visa and border controls in recent years.
Authorities have not immediately provided further details on the condition or arrangements for the rescued migrants.
